09/04/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/04/2024 16:16
Sep 4, 2024
Funding Is On Top Of The Over $175M For NYS To Build Out Network of EV Charging Stations In The Infrastructure Law, And $700K For Oneida County Senators Secured Earlier This Year To Build New EV Charging Stations In The Region
Schumer: Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs Law Is Supercharging EV Infrastructure For The Mohawk Valley
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $12,823,915 for the Oneida Indian Nation to help install 52 electric vehicle DC Fast Chargers in the Mohawk Valley through the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant Program. The funding, which comes from the Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs Law, will help build fast chargers at five locations within one mile of Interstate 90. The senators said the project will support the growing demand for EVs, all while lowering air pollution, and helping make it more convenient for residents and visitors in the Mohawk Valley to have easy access to charging stations during daily routines and while traveling to popular tourist destinations.
"The Mohawk Valley just got a major jolt from the Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs Law to help power up new electric vehicle charging stations along the I-90 corridor. Electric vehicles are booming in popularity, and for this industry to succeed we need to make it so charging your car is as easy and convenient as filling up a gas tank. This federal investment will help the Oneida Indian Nation bring more charging stations along this heavily trafficked road locals use on their daily commute and is central artery for popular tourist destinations," said Senator Schumer. "When I led the Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs Law to passage, it was investments like these that helped boost the local economy and improve air quality that I had in mind. The Oneida Indian Nation is helping lead the way to build out New York and our nation's network of EV chargers, supercharging the fight against climate change and putting us on the road to a cleaner future."
"Electric mobility is the future of transportation and will help create a healthier, cleaner environment for all New Yorkers," said Senator Gillibrand. "This nearly $13 million in federal funding will equip the Oneida Nation with much-needed EV charging infrastructure throughout the Mohawk Valley and help get more electric vehicles on the road, leading to a reduction in carbon emissions and cleaner air for New Yorkers. I am proud to have fought to secure this funding for the Oneida Nation through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and will continue to fight to create a healthier environment for all."
"We are proud to be continuing our commitment to environmental stewardship by working with Senator Schumer, Senator Gillibrand and our other partners in federal government to significantly increase access to electric vehicle charging infrastructure along the New York State Thruway," said Ray Halbritter, Oneida Indian Nation Representative. "In 2023, the Oneida Indian Nation launched a unique partnership with Tesla to help eliminate obstacles to electric vehicle ownership by improving access and distribution of EV's in Upstate New York. With the addition of 52 Fast Chargers on Nation lands, we are continuing these efforts by providing the infrastructure needed to make EV ownership even more viable."
The five locations are all located within one mile of the Interstate 90 at Oneida Indian Nation sites. Four of the locations will be located in Verona and one will be located in Canastota. The Interstate 90 is a designated Alternative Fuels Corridor per the Federal Highway Administration.
In the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act, that Schumer led to passage, he successfully secured $7.5 billion to build out a national network of EV chargers, including an estimated $175 million over the next 5 years in funding for EV charging stations for New York State. In addition, the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Discretionary Grant Program (CFI program) also established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides competitive grants to strategically deploy publicly accessible electric vehicle charging and alternative fueling infrastructure in the places people live and work, in both urban and rural areas, including downtown areas and local neighborhoods, particularly in underserved and disadvantaged communities.
Schumer has a long history of helping to deliver federal funding to build out EV infrastructure in New York. New York's first federally funded rapid charging EV station was installed late last year in Ulster County. Earlier this year, Schumer also announced $700,000+ for Oneida County to install 40+ new EV charging stations, and $15 million for NYSERDA to install new EV charging stations at over 200 locations across the New York State from the same grant program funding was awarded today.